Looking for an EXPERT!

[sarafin]

cool, thanks! I will look into that!

 

[sarafin]

looked up rebel brewer and it definitely sounds cheaper...

 

[EuBrew]

Definitely check out rebelbrewer.com either in person if you can or online at least. They have a kegging set up similar to what you have mentioned from all seasons, but it includes the CO2 tank. I just looked at their website again (rebelbrewer) and it looks like you could get everything you neeed for just a couple dollars more than 200. Give Tom a call and let him know what you're looking for or have him look at this thread. As close as you are to his place it would be a shame to buy somewhere else. Good luck!!

 

[Arkador]

All Seasons, in my experienced, is very overpriced.

Here's something else: www.rebelbrewer.com

They are up in Goodlettesville and Tom (the owner) is also a member here at homebrewtalk. They have tons of knowledge and I'm sure he could hook you up with everything you need.

I used to buy everything i needed at All Seasons, but i also used to do Brewers Best kits when I was in Nashville., they always had good advice, and were 5 min from where I lived (next to Belmont University)

 

[sarafin]

Yeah, I think I am going to go with rebelbrewer. If it's a good store with good prices..my husband will go there all the time, like he does with this cigar store he loves...preferred customer, haha!

 

[sarafin]

Yeah my husband has used those brewers best kits, he likes them too. They have always turned out! The people are really friendly and helpful there!

 

[sarafin]

also I would like to get him a cool handle...anyone know where you can get a good deal on them?

 

[wilserbrewer]

ebay? .....

 

[Arkador]

also I would like to get him a cool handle...anyone know where you can get a good deal on them?

vendor showcase. there is a guy that makes colorful acrylic handles, and another guy that does amazing wood ones.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f41/stock-taphandle-sale-125283/
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f41/memorial-day-sale-tap-handles-119502/
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f41/handmade-taphandles-wine-bottle-stoppers-115378/

 

[Grimtas]

The bare minimum I would recommend for a base-line keg system would be the following:
1X 5# C02 tank (Can be filled at your LHBS, Welding supply, or Fire Extengusher supply house)
1X 5Gal Corney keg (Ball lock preffered, pin lock only as a last resort)
10' Beer Line (reduces foaming)
5-10' Gas line
1X Gas in (Ball/Pin) connection, depends on the keg
1X Beer out (Ball/Pin) connection, depends on the keg
1X C02 dual guage regulator, shows tank gas and output (Line) pressure
1X thumb tap (Party tap)

Additional upgrades would be
Additional 5gal kegs
Door tap kit, includes pouring tap, door shank(4"), tail nut, Beer line barb
Tap handle

Here's an example of a converted fridge with additional items

Inside hookup

Here's a party tap and gas/beer disconnects (ball lock)

Hope the pics help

Edit: And I'm no expert Jester on these forums would be what I consider the resident expert. Read this thread of great ideas: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/keezer-project-31221/

 

[sarafin]

Great thanks all! Thanks for all the handle info and yes the pictures help! Looks like a nice setup, so cool! My husband's gonna freak!! I know he's is gonna post pictures on here, he will be soo excited!

 

[bronzdragon]

I second the ebay option, you can find all kinds of cool old tap handles from the past for next to nothing.

Hope your kit came together ok. I'm sure he'll love it, and put it all to good use.

Cheers
~r~

 

[wildwest450]

Also, I know Blackstone will fill homebrew cornies, I don't know if Yazoo does, but I don't see why they wouldn't. That way you can always have beer on hand if you run out of homebrew. And you can easily add a sankey tap reasonably cheap later so he can get any commercial beer he wants.

 

[sarafin]

Cool, thanks everyone! I know he'll be on here asking questions from all you experts! Thanks so much!

 

[wildwest450]

I failed to mention if you want to add a sankey tap later you need to order your disconnects (gas and liquid) with the threaded ends NOT the barbed. Then you buy a barbed end with a threaded nut, that will allow you to simply unscrew the disconnects and re-attach to the sankey. Of course there's a kit to buy also that will convert the sankey tap, it sounds hard, but it's not.

 

[rescue brew]

Hey Guys , It's the lucky Husband who got kegging stuff for his birthday... I am one lucky son of a gun. A few years ago I showed interest in home brewing, so wifey bought me a kit. Now here we are, wifey hooking me up once again... draft beer at the homestead, kick ass! She is the bomb. Thanks to you all for helping her out.

Now it's my turn to get down to it and seek out the info I need.

First up .... large fridge vs mini fridge

Thanks again guys!

 

[Grimtas]

Congratz on your prezzy Rescue Brew. Couple of questions for you though. How many kegs do you now have or intend to put into a fridge? That will help folks size a simple solution for you. Most mini fridges will only hold 1 or two corneys while a garage sale over/under or side/side fridge freezer would be able to hole 3-8 kegs depending on the size. You can also convert an old chest freezer into a "Keezer" (Search this site for lots of info on Keezers) The chest freezer would require a temp controller to keep it at refrigeration levels instead of freezing levels.

 

[dunnright00]

My question is, how did you not see this thread and then know what you were getting?

 

[rescue brew]

Congratz on your prezzy Rescue Brew. Couple of questions for you though. How many kegs do you now have or intend to put into a fridge? That will help folks size a simple solution for you. Most mini fridges will only hold 1 or two corneys while a garage sale over/under or side/side fridge freezer would be able to hole 3-8 kegs depending on the size. You can also convert an old chest freezer into a "Keezer" (Search this site for lots of info on Keezers) The chest freezer would require a temp controller to keep it at refrigeration levels instead of freezing levels.

As of now I only have a one keg set-up. I do drink more commercial beer than I do homebrew, so I should probably keep that in mind. Ideal would be having say two of each... four total. Mini would be out in that scenario.

I have found a TON of tutorials on converting sanyo 4912's or similar... but not much on larger refridgerators. Is the mini just more popular or are my search skills just not up to par?

Thanks :rockin:

 

[rescue brew]

My question is, how did you not see this thread and then know what you were getting?

My wifes name isn't Sara...

She also threatened to remove my manhood ala Bobitt, if I used her computer.

EDIT: my wifes name isn't sarafin

 

[Grimtas]

Ok next question for you then. You say you drink mostly commercial beer over homebrew. Do you buy your commercial beer in pony kegs (5Gal) or 1/4, 1/2 barrel sizes? This will determine your minimum size requirement for your kegerator. For commercial kegs you will most likely need a sankey tap head to despense the beer. At this point your either going for a small fridge that will basically only hold your commercial keg with one tap or will need to goto a larger fridge setup that can hold both your homebrew and commercial keg. This will add an additional spout to connect through the front door or just continue to use party taps.

This link is a through door setup addition to what you probably already have.
http://www.williamsbrewing.com/PERLICK_FORWARD_SEAL_FAUCET_WI_P1476.cfm

 

[wildwest450]

Do you have the room for a small chest freezer? That's the best way to go if possible.

 

[shortyjacobs]

There aren't as many "big fridge" conversion howtos because it's MUCH easier, and every one is a bit different. In broad strokes though, you:

1) remove all shelves (self explanatory...pull the suckers out!)
2) remove the veggie crispers, (they aren't strong enough to support the weight of the kegs)
3) build a simple wood platform to level the bottom of the fridge, (usually there is a compressor hump on the back of the fridge, so the platform gives you a single flat surface for the kegs)
4) Put your stuff in the fridge....usually the fridges are pretty big so you don't have to shoehorn them in...Mine can fit 6 kegs, for example, if I mount the CO2 outside, or 4-5 kegs with the CO2 inside.
5) Usually you can just mount taps by drilling holes in the doors and bolting them in.

Search for the "show us your kegerator" thread for tons of ideas.

 

[rescue brew]

Do you have the room for a small chest freezer? That's the best way to go if possible.

I do have room, yes. Why is that the best way to go ?

THansk

 

[remilard]

I do have room, yes. Why is that the best way to go ?

THansk

They are cheaper than refrigerators or upright freezers for a given capacity.

If you ever plan on getting a half barrel commercial keg and you aren't tall and strong, I recommend against the chest freezer route. 6th barrel and corny kegs are easy to get in and out.

The reason mini-fridges are popular is that they are small.

If you have room for a full sized fridge, I like them because you get that extra freezer space for hops.

 

[wildwest450]

I do have room, yes. Why is that the best way to go ?

THansk

Imo, yes. You would need help with a full sized keg for loading, but for sisth barrels and homebrew cornies their excellent. You would need to buy a temp controller, but there not that expensive, I have 3 freezers and temp controllers and I love them.

Do some searching, there's tons of info on converting a chest freezer, you can go as simple or elaborate as you like.

There's a sticky at the top of this forum page showing how many cornies will fit in a variety of freezers.

 

[rescue brew]

Great feedback fellas, thanks.

One final note .... Thanks for being so nice to the wifey, she's now a HBT believer.

 

[Fingers]

And we believe in Sarafin. She really does love you.

 

[ChshreCat]

Dang! I was hoping that was my wife! She's kind of a fae creature after all, so the nick would've been one she'd do.